What does pain on the side of the foot mean?
Pain on the sides of the feet can be hard to deal with. It is referred to as lateral foot pain. It may actually be a stress fracture. There are 33 different joints and 26 bones of various sizes found in the feet! This is why it is possible for there to be various underlying causes of such pain. It may radiate to the big toe and little toe as well as the heel.
There are quite a few different reasons why someone could have this type of lateral foot pain. It could be a stress fracture due to a job or due to sports. It may be due to not wearing shoes with enough support. A condition known as Peroneal Tendonitis can also be present. Don’t just guess what is wrong or ignore it.
Instead, you need to schedule an appointment with your doctor so they can take a look at it. They will complete an assessment and let you know what they discover. Answer all questions they have for you honestly and completely. They may send you for x-ray or they may ask you to schedule a few sessions with a physical therapist to see if that reduces the pain.
Get Results
Lateral foot pain can make it very hard for you to work, to take on your tasks, and for you to have fun! It can hold you back from every part of your life and it may scare you. Instead of being fearful about what conditions you may have, work with a passionate and credible doctor to get to the core of it.
Many issues are caused by inflammation, and that can be controlled. It can be managed and reduced so that you don’t have to suffer with the pain all the time. Other issues are caused by a pinched nerve or a fracture of certain bones in the foot. You certainly don’t want to allow the problem to get worse because you didn’t seek treatment for it.
Even a sprained ankle can result in lateral foot pain. You may not realize the issues are connected, but they frequently are. Your doctor may diagnose you with Peroneal Tendonitis or Cuboid Syndrome. However, most of them are the rest of a stress fracture.
What is a Stress Fracture?
If you aren’t familiar with stress fractures, this is a type of crack in a bone. There are some longer bones found in the foot, called Metatarsals. It is the one most often harmed when a person has a stress fracture. This is because of all the use it takes on for walking, moving, sports, and more. Someone who is obese can also have such a fracture because of the extra weight on the feet.
Athletes get these types of fractures very often. They are agile, moving on their feet all the time, and they are often changing directions. If the sport involves physical contact that also increases the risk of lateral pain. There are many jobs that require being on your feet for long hours each day. This can take a toll on those bones too. Wearing shoes that don’t fit well or that don’t offer enough support can open the door for a stress fracture to occur.
Physical Therapy
One of the main resources for reducing lateral foot pain is physical therapy. This type of treatment involves various types of exercises to make those bones stronger and to help them heal. The sessions are only part of being successful with it though. You should engage in those exercises on your own every single day too.
Physical therapy can also help with stretching the muscles and tendons in the feet. A trained physical therapist will show you how to perform all of the techniques correctly so they offer you the most benefits. As you do them, more blood will flow through the feet and that will reduce overall pain. It will also promote healing in less time.
